Method of forming floor and ceiling structures



A. W. BAILEY Sept. 30, 1952 METHOD OF FORMING FLOOR AND CEILING STRUCTURES Filed April 29, 1949 INVENTOR.

A LONZO W. BAI LEY.

BY [1" TM TORJVEYS.

Patented Sept. 30, 19,52

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF FoRMINGnnooRANn CEILING STRUCTURES Alonzo W. Bailey, Cleveland, hi0

.ApplicationApril 29, 1949,'SerialiNo..-90,4}!6 F scla-ims. (cits-154') molding. form in a building. structure and the further use of'the same'panel as a permanent'reinforcing element in a floor section.

.Thedeleterio'us effect of cement on lumber and steel molding forms is too well-known in the building'art to merit more than a general resume of the difiiculties presented when planking or metal forms are used a second time. Lumber is subject to warpage, is absorbent and difficult to clean without'mutilating; hence the forms made therefrom must becompletelyrebuilt after limited use. The framing; of wooden molds is often difficult and costly, even when new lumber is used, and the removal of such forms isexpensive when an efiort is made to salvage the p1anking. Steel molds" are expensive of fabrication, are susceptible of rapid deterioration in the presence of moisture and cement, are invariably mutilated when they are pounded during the casting and cleaning operation and are heavy'and difiicult to handle during the installation and removal of the mold.

The-present invention contemplates a composite sheet metal panel which is designed prim'arily'as a load-carrying member or reinforcing element in a concrete floor and further designed to-accommcdate the use thereof as a ceiling and floormold; In the practice of'the present invention the panel is first used as a form for molding a section of a ceiling, wall or other structural ele-- ment of" a building. The panel is then transferred to-another'environment where it is installed as a permanent element of the building structure. C0-- incident' this operation the panel may be aitered by cutting hand. holes. or other openings therein or by changing'the contour thereof to meet the architectural specifications or design. In... the latter installation the panel is'inverted and the face thereof, opposite:that:formerlyused to support theceiling, is then employed as the mold for the floor. After the initial useof the panel. it is unnecessary to remove the incrustationsof'cament accumulated thereon, since the condition'of the surface of the panelLisimmaterial in the subsequentuse thereof.

.In addition to the foregoing, objects and advantages the.- invention alsorcomprehends a method whichwilkaccommodate. the-ready install-ationof conduits, cables, and other equipment in the-area 2 above the ceiling, prior tothe constructioncftfi? floor; and; if desired,'the' fullorpartial' use-ofthe voidbetween" the 'fioor'and::theceiling asa pas-1 sagew'ay for pre-condition'ed aincurrentsofas a: ventilating duct. I

Otherobj'ects' and utilities or the method" and structureand themanner in' which all of the various objects are'realized, will appearin thefollowingdescription; which, considered. inflcona nection with the accompanying drawings;1:sets= forth the: preferred embodimentof the invention. Referring tothe dra'wings Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of :a iragmen' tary' portion of a beam illustratingthe'manner in which the anel issuspendewwhen used -in.the'- initialmoldingjoperation;. I "Fig; 2' is a vertical sectionalview" through "a fragmentary" portion of ta building illustrating several panel sections" in place after the'ceiling hasbeenpoured; A

Fig. 3 is' asimilaris'ection' illustratingfthei'use and position of the panels upon completion (if-a7. floor section; and

Fig. '4 is a view in: perspective of'a fragmentary portion of a building illustratingthefassembleti relation of thepanel with a floor b'eamor'girdei'i and the"- structuralproportions" of the fioonahd' ceiling relative thereto.

Referring first-tdFigs; I andz, thefpanelsd? com rise a sheet'meta'l plate 10- fbrmedwitnffa channel; I I" in one of the marginal edgestliereof and a" fiange P2" the-opposed "edge "for inter"- locked engagement with the channeiiin-the-ccntiguous' panel assembly: The-plate I'll; hasa "cor rugated'sheet metal reinforcingstrip r3 welded'to one of "the faces"thereof-constituting a'ioad carry ing el'ement. The g'augeof the metal employedf'in" both the plate-1t and the'reinforcingmembef i3 depend upon the size of the bays or -center tocenter distance between the 11001 beams; "The Width of the-panel's is preferably aboutfonewhilfd the length thereof; fonexampl'eyin a" 20-foot square bay, three panels substantially 6 feet 8 inches Wide and 20 feetilb'rlg would be employed; The"panelsarepiercedat'spaced'intervalsfor.the re'eeptioriofh'an'gers such as the steel straps. I101- U=bo1ts l5"which are employed to facilitateithe suspension ofi'th'e panels used-asamoldlm forming" C'ei1lng.- 'AS illustrated. inQEiQWL'LEIiG panel'is secure'd'in position withthe-pl atel disposed upwardly and in spaced relation with-attic lower face of the floor beam l6-ofthe building structure, wood or cement blocks? l 1 of a requisite thickness being interposed between the plates Ill, and the lower flange .of theI-beaml-filtoregulatethe thickness of the cast concrete slab C below the face of the beam. The hanger straps M or bolts l5 are adjusted to draw the plate into intimate engagement with the spacers I7 and maintain a fiat even surface relative to each adjacent plate within the bay. After the panels are thus positioned the concrete is poured thereover and to a height substantially double the thickness of the spacer 11.. After the concrete has set the straps M or U-bolts are released to facilitate the removal of the panels. In forming the ceiling section beneath a girder l8 or other structural steel member the panel may be positioned in a similar manner but with secondary forms such as the fabricated steel plate l9 or wooden form mounted in spaced relation with the marginal edges of the building frame structure. A concrete curb 2| may be formed around the sides of the portion of the girder that is disposed above the ceiling by placing forms 22 in spaced relation therewith, then pouring concrete between such forms at the same time the ceiling is cast. If desired, openings 23 may be provided in the curb and central web of the girder to form passageways for the circulation of air between adjacent bays and accommodate the installation of pipes and conduits. If desired, additional forms may be placed upon the upper surface of the panels In on the ceiling prior to the moldin operation to provide openings in the concrete for the reception of ventilation ducts, junction boxes, or hangers.

After the ceiling is cast and while the structure is in the condition illustrated in Fig. 2, the electrical conduits, ventilator frames, plumbing, and other fixtures may be installed. Thereafter, the panels formerly used as the ceiling molds are inverted and secured in fixed relation to the beam l6 and/0r girders l8 as structural steel load-canrying members. The grouting 24 for the floor is then poured thereover and the facing 25 is finishtrowelled in the usual manner.

It will be recognized that the improved method of construction will assure the production of a clean smooth surface in the ceiling of the build-- ing since the panels employed in the molding operation are always new, straight, and clean, and that the cement remaining thereon will in no wise impair the subsequent use thereof as a, structural steel reinforcing member and molding form for the floor. It will also be recognized that the method of construction will accommodate the ready installation of the pipes and conduits between the floors at a time in which such installaticns may be made with the greatest facility, that openings may be cut in the floor and molds mounted thereover to produce hand holes, floor ducts, or similar openings, and that the voids between the ceiling and floor and the openings 23 between the bays may be organized for use as heating or ventilating passageways.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

Iclaim:

1. The method of forming a concrete floor and ceiling in a steel frame building structure comprising suspending a steel load-carrying floor member from the steel framework of the building in spaced relation with the lower face thereof, pouring concrete thereover to form a celing, removing the member from beneath the ceiling and securing it to the upper face of the steel framework of the building, and pouring concrete thereover to form a composite floor structure.

2. The method of forming horizontal partitions for steel framework buildings comprising the steps of detachably supporting a sheet metal form having a reinforced generally flat plate between spaced building framework members with the flat plate uppermost to form with the framework a trough, pouring a layer of cementitious material into the trough to partially fill it, removing the plate after setting of the cementitious material, placing the plate that has been employed to form the bottom of a trough across framework members that have been spanned by a hardened agregate of cementitious material with the fiat portion of the plate lowermost, and pouring a layer of cementitious material over the plate to form a reinforced horizontal Wall.

3. The method of forming a concrete floor and ceiling in a steel frame building structure comprising suspending a reinforced steel, load-carrying floor member from the steel framework of the building, pouring concrete thereover to form a celing, removing the member after said ceiling concrete has hardened, securing said member to the upper face of the framework, and pouring concrete on said member whereby said concrete and the member cooperate to form a load-carrying floor.

4. A method of forming a concrete floor and ceiling for a steel, frame building structure comprising the forming of a reinforced load-supporting floor member, supporting said member from the steel framework of the building, pouring concrete thereover to form a ceiling, removing the member after said ceiling concrete has hardened, placing said member above said ceiling on said frame, and pouring concrete on the member whereby said concrete and the member cooperate to form a load-carrying floor.

5. A method of forming a concrete floor and ceiling for a steel frame building structure comprising the forming of a reinforced load-supporting floor member by joining reinforcing material to a flat panel, supporting said member from the steel framework of the building with the flat panel uppermost, pouring concrete thereover to form a ceiling, removing the member after said ceiling concrete has hardened, placing said member above said ceiling on said frame with the reinforcing material uppermost, and pouring concrete on the member whereby said concrete and the reinforced member cooperate to form a loadcarrying floor.

ALONZO W. BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN'IS Number Name Date 1,708,555 Smith Apr. 9, 1929 2,336,253 Jennings Dec. 7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 579,148 France July 24, 1924 323,532 Great Britain Jan. 3, 1930 420,062 Great Britain Feb. 16, 1933 389,551 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1933 

